[1] [2] Somewhat before this time also,King Iohn once agai [...] sendeth to the pope. when he heard of the compact made betwixt the barons and his ad|uersaries the Frenchmen, he dispatched a messenger in all hast to the pope, signifieng to him what was in hand and practised against him, requiring further|more the said pope by his authoritie to cause Lewes [page 191] to staie his iournie, and to succour those rebels in England which he had alreadie excommunicated. This he néeded not haue doone, had he beene indued with such prudence and prowesse as is requisit to be planted in one that beareth rule, of whom it is said,

Cui si quando Deus rerum permittat habenas,

Imperij decus, tunc aurea secula fiunt,

Tunc floret virtus, terrásque Astrea reuisit,

Pax viget, & vitium duris cohibetur habenis,

whereas by meanes of defects in the contrarie, he bare too low a saile, in that he would be so foolified as being a king, to suffer vsurped supremasie to be car|uee of his kingdome. But let vs sée the conse|quence. Anno. Reg. 18. Cardinall Gualo. Matth. Paris. The pope desirous to helpe king Iohn all that he might (bicause he was now his vassall) sent his legat Gualo into France, to disswade king Phi|lip from taking anie enterprise in hand against the king of England. But king Philip though he was content to heare what the legat could saie,The French kings allega|tions to the popes legat Gualo. yet by no meanes would be turned from the execution of his purpose, alledging that king Iohn was not the law|full king of England, hauing first vsurped and ta|ken it awaie from his nephue Arthur the lawfull in|heritour, and that now sithens as an enimie to his owne roiall dignitie he had giuen the right of his kingdome awaie to the pope (which he could not doo without consent of his nobles) and therefore through his owne fault he was worthilie depriued of all his kinglie honor. Matth. Paris. Matth. West. For the kingdome of England (saith he) neuer belonged to the patrimonie of S. Peter, nor at anie time shall. For admit that he were right|full king, yet neither he nor anie other prince may giue awaie his kingdome without the assent of his barons, which are bound to defend the same, and the prerogatiue roiall, to the vttermost of their powers. Furthermore (saith he) if the pope doo meane to mainteine this errour, he shall giue a perilous exam|ple to all kingdomes of the world. Herewithall the Nobles of France then present, protested also with one voice, that in defense of this article they would stand to the death, which is, that no king or prince at his will and pleasure might giue awaie his king|dome, or make it tributarie to anie other potentate, whereby the Nobles should become thrall or subiect to a forren gouernour. These things were doone at Lions in the quindene after Easter.